"Happy tail" advice?

lnixon8

Just rescued a very cute fur baby from a rescue 3.5 weeks ago, a 3 year old chocolate lab named Case. My husband grew up with labs (my family had golden retrievers) but neither of us have dealt with this before.

He wags his tail SO hard that the tip bleeds. Not sure if it's from the crate (metal) but we don't want to take it away because we are trying to crate train. And you wouldn't believe the amount of blood that splatters when its open. Like... making a murderer people should come over and show how a cut 1/2 the size of my pinky nail gets blood everywhere that is incredibly difficult to clean off walls and tile.

I don't even think hes biting it open but we put the cone of shame because we started putting liquid bandage on it when we went to work today, I think he just keeps cutting it open. It was fine when we went to town with the liquid bandage 2 weeks ago, but he cut it open again on Monday.

The lab facebook groups I'm apart of are kind of like "make sure its not infected but hey that's what being a lab mom is all about!" "It's his house too ya know!" "Why is he staying in a crate at all?" "Can't you work from home and make sure he's not licking?" I obviously want the dog to be healthy but I love my house and take care of it and it's been less than month and my walls need repainting. 

Has anyone dealt with this? I'd prefer not to dock it but its getting crazy and I don't know what to do...

emmaaa

I have a lab mix and I swear his tail feels like it could break my leg when he wags it. I even asked DH if dogs could break their tails, he wags it that hard. 

If he is in a metal crate and you think that could be the cause, you should look into other types of crates. The ones we use for our dogs are plastic. similar to this one: http://www.amazon.com/Ruffmaxx-Camouflage-Kennel-40-Inch-90-Pound/dp/B008AGV6GS/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454522263&sr=1-4&keywords=dog+crates&refinements=p_n_feature_four_browse-bin:10127103011

Maggie0829

So you think he is cutting it open by wagging it so hard against the crate?  Have you thought about padding the crate walls so if he does wag his tail he isn't smacking it against metal?

If he is in a crate while you are out there is only so many things that could cause a cut to reopen.  When you are home do you see him chewing at his tail?  I would probably suggest using a bandage wrap around the tail until the cut is fully healed.  That way if the cut does reopen due to him banging his tail on something then blood won't get everywhere.

And is it an actual cut or does it look more like he has been chewing on his tail?

I would probably talk to your vet.  If your dog is chewing his tail while in the crate it may be due to separation anxiety and just his way to cope with being alone.

SP29

I know someone who has a great dane who smacks his tail so hard against the wall/door/ you name it, in anticipation of people coming into the house, that he has cut his tail from doing so.

I would wrap the tail until it is healed- absolutely make sure it is not getting infected, or getting larger. If it is, consider the vet in case it needs sutures or some antibiotics. 

I am not against crates, but I would pad it so this isn't happening. Do consider stress behaviours. 

missfrodo

I used to work in a kennel, we had one or two dogs with this problem.  These were concrete-walled spaces plenty big enough for a dog to move around in, but they still managed to bash their tails open on the walls.  I remember going back to what looked like carnage but was really a tiny cut on a tail.  I second wrapping the tail--ask your vet to show you what to use and how to use it so it's less likely to fall off during the day, and you'll probably need to keep using the cone of shame so he can't yank the bandage off.  
Hopefully in time, he'll calm down in the crate and stop the behavior, but if it's stress-related from being in a new home, ask your vet or local pet store about plug-in calming pheromones (they work like a Glade plug-in) or Bachs Rescue Remedy (droplets you add to your dog's food) to aid in calming him so his tail can heal.  
Good luck!

lnixon8

Thanks everyone! I feel like I'm going to the vet every week but i will definitely have to make another appointment and pray she doesn't want to dock it. 

We have a trainer coming to our house Saturday so I will ask her about separation anxiety and look into the plug-ins and padding the crate.

Once the floors and walls are clean I'm more calm but to come home, let him out, go the bathroom myself and come back to a faux murder scene is so disheartening, because I love him so much! This is him btw 

OliveOilsMom

That face is adorable! 

I too have grown up with labs and have 2 myself now.  I have never encountered this problem with their tail though!  One of my thoughts is, he might be bored and licking his tail mindlessly.  I have seen on TV that bored labs have literally licked their paws to big open wounds.  I would definitely talk to your vet and the trainer and see what they say.  I hope you can get this resolved soon!